Editor of Out Criticizes Adam Lambert’s Management

By On 11/16/2009 · 596 Comments · In American Idol

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  • Hicklin’s entire letter can be found HERE. The Out interview is a good one, read it HERE.

Just found this in the Village Voice:

In the new Out 100 issue of Out–which I write for–editor Aaron Hicklin pens a sharp letter criticizing Lambert’s management for their namby-pambiness in trying to re-cloak his sexuality. Lambert gave the magazine a terrific interview, but his handlers were not so glorious, alas.

Says Hicklin:

*Adam’s people were reluctant to let him appear on the cover. They only let it happen if it was a group shot, preferably including someone straight. (This even though Out was first in line, ages ago, in asking for a Lambert cover. Somehow Details was granted a crack at him first, presenting the singer caressing a barely clad woman and talking about kissing girls, though he did also manage to get in the fact that he’s gay).

*Out was urged not to make Adam too gay in the shot.

*They were also informed that Adam probably wouldn’t be able to attend an Out 100 event because they didn’t want to jeopardize his record sales.

Whoa.

Update: I just read the entire Out editor letter, and I have to say that 19′s behavior does NOT surprise me.   They’ve got a product they’re trying to sell en masse, and are afraid of offending potential customers.   Not to say I think it’s right–I find any sort of attempt to stuff Adam back into the closet unsavory and depressing.

What DOES surprise me, is the Out editor’s willingness to call out 19.   Wow.   Seriously, Out just burned that bridge. Forever.   And it’s probably given pause to a a few other management types watching the kerfuffle from the sidelines…

ETA: Not to mention all the magazine sells from Adam fans Out just lost.   Also, Hicklin is probably leveraging the situation for publicity, but I don’t believe he’s lying.

 
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  • Studio57

    I think every song has some theatrical elements to it. It’s almost like it’s a little wink and nod to all the people who said he was “too theatrical”, lol.

    Is Music Again available for listen anywhere?

  • austintoo

    What song is the guitar riff from in Surefire Winners, it’s driving me crazy.
    It’s from a Led Zep song, right?

  • Teri63

    OMG – “Broken Open” is gorgeous!

  • sr4mjc

    Broken Open broke me. It’s gorgeous

  • AdoK

    Is Music Again available for listen anywhere?
    Yes it is:

    http://apps.facebook.com/ilike/artist/Adam+Lambert

  • Shev66

    New thread set up for this !

  • hfa

    MJ has new thread everyone!

  • greenT

    OMG another happy day.
    I am going to stay on this myspace link all day long.
    Thank you Adam for the fantastic music.

  • JIMDOGSILKIES

    Help b/c I’m confused. I really love Adam and love the songs! Read comments last night that FYE is not getting played and there was also something discouraging fans from harrassing radio stations to play FYE as they can blacklist a song. Is FYE doing okay? Just a week ago I read that it was doing well on ITunes, like #10 and then the next thing I read is a lot of concern for the album and song. WHat’s up? I truly don’t understand all these numbers/ratings, etc. THanks!

  • http://www.planetfierce.proboards.com rowenaaine

    Part two of the Out interview at Thespindleshay’s blog, http://littleglitterlittleglam.blogspot.com/

    The last comment choked me up. Bold emphasis mine.

    What else do you want to talk about?

    I don’t know. [Long pause.] My job is to make this look easy and fun. That’s the illusion, the vibe I’m trying to create for people to feel. That’s what I want to do as an entertainer, create a mood that rubs off on people. This is scary, and it is a lot of work. And I’m OK, I’ll be fine. But, wow, this is a lot. And I hope that people are compassionate about that. I took a chance, stepped my life up a little, have some opportunities, have a little money, and I’m doing the best I can. I’m doing the best I fucking can, you know?

  • fadetowhite

    Good for the editor of Out. It just shows you what goes on behind the scenes, even – apparently – against the wishes of the client: Lambert in this case. I thought he gave a strong interview. His ability to be himself and cut through the bs is actually the thing I admire the most about him.

    Anyhow – I’m listening to the album and: I quite like it!

    I don’t think it’s the best album ever released! And I see nothing ground breaking about it: I can’t see the huge hype.

    BUT – it’s a good album and I’m enjoying listening to it.

  • unique28v

    Some outlets and sites are blaming Adam for this and calling him a hypocrite.

  • saga

    Some outlets and sites are blaming Adam for this and calling him a hypocrite.

    What do you mean?

  • saga

    I call “scorned editor” on this one. Sacrifising one for the (his) great movementl.

    I think the editor wanted to put the whole gay rights issue on Adams shoulders and he didn’t want that. Yes, the management was the one communicating with the editor but that doesn’t mean Adam wasn’t behind them.

    Give the kid a break, he just wants to sing his face off. Why not let him?

  • Miss Chaos

    I’m doing the best I fucking can, you know?

    A great title for Adams next song????????

  • zzatrms

    Apparently I’m not the only one who checks for anything Adam as soon as I wake up. :)

  • uglyduck

    AdoK
    11/17/2009 at 5:56 am
    If you are outside US:

    http://apps.facebook.com/ilike/artist/Adam+Lambert

    THANK YOU

  • retjenny

    I know I have been kind of crabby about the album. I wanted Idol Adam. Sometimes times what you what isn’t what you need! I love this album. It justifies pre ordering from three different sites.

  • unique28v

    Some outlets and sites are blaming Adam for this and calling him a hypocrite.

    What do you mean?

    Just that Adam is a hypocrite for doing Details, and saying women are pretty, etc. Meaning, he’s trying to have his cake and eat it too. They are twisting it around saying its Adam who didn’t want to do the article and look “too gay” in fear of turning people off.

  • lucy

    Help b/c I’m confused. I really love Adam and love the songs! Read comments last night that FYE is not getting played and there was also something discouraging fans from harrassing radio stations to play FYE as they can blacklist a song. Is FYE doing okay? Just a week ago I read that it was doing well on ITunes, like #10 and then the next thing I read is a lot of concern for the album and song. WHat’s up? I truly don’t understand all these numbers/ratings, etc. THanks!

    Did quite well on Itunes for a while, then dropped pretty significantly. However, that’s to be expected since the song itself has had very little exposure as of yet because radio play is just beginning (and we don’t know how much it’ll get) and the AMAs haven’t happened, nor other tv appearances where he performs the song.

    Has had a moderate number of radio adds and play — comparable to Kris after his song had been out a roughly equivalent amount of time — up to this point, but this week the adds may be slowing (they are on HAC, though that might *partly* be because of Christmas; we won’t know for sure about Pop (CHR/Top 40) until later today.)

    Then there’s the weirdness of Open House Party playing Waddya Want from Me as “adam’s new single” rather than FYE. Nobody knows what that means. or how it will affect FYE. Although since WWFM got some radio spins last week, one might well say that it took away from spins that FYE might otherwise have been expected to get — on OHP, especially.

    In short — early signs mixed. Definitely not doing brilliantly out of the gate, but kind of hanging in there so not a total dog either. But it’s very early days yet, with the visible promotion yet to kick in (and we don’t know the nature of the behind-the-scenes promotion.)

    It’s really just a wait and see situation, I think.

  • ptslittlecomment

    Adam replied to the Open Letter via twitter

    (cont.) Until we have a meaningful conversation, perhaps you should refrain from projecting your publications’ agenda onto my career.
    28 minutes ago from Echofon Dear Aaron, it’s def not that deep. Chill! Guess ya gotta get attention for the magazine. U too are at the mercy of the marketing machine.
    38 minutes ago from Echofon

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